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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26848966">Battle of the Bands</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebluesthour/pseuds/thebluesthour'>thebluesthour</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Taegyu Oneshots for The Soul [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Bands, Alternate Universe - High School, Battle of the Bands, Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Established Choi Soobin/Choi Yeonjun, Flirting, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Whipped Choi Beomgyu, Whipped Kang Taehyun, this is everything</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 00:36:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,096</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26848966</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebluesthour/pseuds/thebluesthour</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>With the battle of the bands coming up, the new bandmates begin rehearsals and discover just how well they work together. Taehyun, however, discovers something else. He has a crush on their guitarist, Beomgyu.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Choi Beomgyu/Kang Taehyun, Choi Soobin/Choi Yeonjun</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Taegyu Oneshots for The Soul [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1958551</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>248</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello! Welcome to the very first instalment of the Taegyu Oneshots for the Soul series! I hope you all enjoy what I post here, and be on the LOOKOUT! </p>
<p>Some Taegyu oneshots will be continuations of Yeonbin oneshots, just from Taehyun and Beomgyu's perspectives! So that's fun! </p>
<p>I hope you enjoy this fic! </p>
<p>Not edited. </p>
<p>Let me know what you think   <a href="https://curiouscat.me/mapsoftheseouls"> here.</a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Their very first practice started in five minutes and Taehyun was so nervous he was physically shaking. It’s not that he was afraid of meeting new people, he was just scared that they wouldn’t think he was any good after all and would kick him out. He had never been part of a team before, not even in dance (he just took solo lessons) and he wanted it to work out so badly. He hoped his sunbaenims had been able to find a good keyboardist and guitarist. Taehyun didn’t know many other musicians, so he was in for a surprise when he walked into the band room.</p>
<p>            He was the second to arrive, and he felt his cheeks heat up as he saw both Soobin and Yeonjun, but then saw the boy who must have been chosen as the main guitarist. He was holding a shiny blue electric guitar, and he was talking about different types of cords when Taehyun walked in. He was tall—taller than Taehyun—with a head of fluffy black hair and a round face. But he also had a sharp jawline and the column of his throat was just <em>mocking</em> Taehyun. Altogether, the boy was very attractive, and Taehyun absolutely could not have a crush on the guitarist. Wasn’t that some doomed cliché?</p>
<p>            Soobin stood up, going up and resting a hand on Taehyun’s shoulder. He smiled gently, and Taehyun felt himself relax a bit. Soobin was a natural leader, he could tell, and he knew that the band was in good hands. “Taehyun-ah, welcome! Are you excited?” he asked brightly. Taehyun smiled, nodding and bowing a bit as Yeonjun waved at him. “I’m really excited, Soobin-ssi, thank you so much, again,” he babbled, voice quiet. Soobin giggled, before walking Taehyun further into the room. “Please, call me hyung,” he said. Taehyun’s eyes widened, and he smiled excitedly, nodding.</p>
<p>            Yeonjun chuckled, pushing himself away from the table and clapping the other boy’s shoulder. “Taehyun, this is Beomgyu, he’s our main guitarist and your hyung also,” he introduced. Taehyun gulped, gaze focusing on Beomgyu, who flashed him a pretty dazzling smile. “Your hair is sick,” he said. Taehyun blinked, before smiling a bit, adjusting his hat. “It actually is, it has a cold,” he replied. Beomgyu stared back at him for a second, and Taehyun’s stomach dropped because wow that was <em>so </em>lame, what was he—. His thoughts were interrupted when Beomgyu laughed, a genuine tinkling of bells, and Taehyun smiled, relieved. Soobin and Yeonjun giggled too, and Beomgyu came up and slung his arm around Taehyun’s shoulders. “I like you! You’re funny!” he cried.</p>
<p>            Taehyun smiled more, trying not to focus on how well he fit against Beomgyu’s side. They weren’t that much different when it came to height, but where Taehyun was slender, Beomgyu had a bit more shape to him. Beomgyu released him after a few seconds, and Taehyun stood there for a second, before he decided to go examine the equipment. “Hueningkai, our keyboardist, should be here soon, he has piano lessons before practices,” Soobin informed. Taehyun nodded in acknowledgement, before going to look at the microphones. He hadn’t ever actually used one before, he had never done anything on a stage except dance. This was new territory for him, but he had a love for singing and he was looking forward to getting to express it.</p>
<p>            The mic was heavy in his hand, but in a good way, and he felt a sudden surge of adrenaline run through him, and he smiled to himself. He turned the microphone over in his hand, examining the different buttons and outlets, and he wished he knew more about this kind of technology. He supposed he would start learning. “Sennheiser is an alright brand, though I would prefer a Shure, but I’m pretty sure my tastes are way too expensive for this school,” a voice behind him suddenly said. Taehyun didn’t flinch, but he did flush at being caught smiling at a microphone. He lowered it and turned around, seeing Beomgyu smiling at him. “Do you know anything about microphones?” he asked.</p>
<p>            Taehyun giggled—did Beomgyu’s smile grow?—and shook his head, carefully setting the microphone back down. “I’m afraid I don’t,” he admitted. Beomgyu waved it off, stepping around Taehyun and picking up a microphone stand. “Don’t worry, I can be your teacher,” he assured. Taehyun stared at him, feeling a twisting in his stomach, before he grinned. “I’m excited to learn from you,” he replied honestly. Beomgyu laughed, ruffling Taehyun’s hair as he went and set the microphone stand right in the centre of the room, to the right of Soobin’s drums.</p>
<p>            At that moment a loud, bustling freshman burst into the room, a keyboard strapped to his back. “I’m here! I’m here! I ran as fast as I could!” he shrieked, eyes wide and voice out of breath. Taehyun straightened up, wanting to help but not knowing if it was appropriate. He wasn’t the leader, after all. Soobin ditched the paperwork he was doing and ran to help the boy. Taehyun deduced it must be Hueningkai, and he hid a laugh at how adorable the kid was. Soobin helped him set up his keyboard, and then before Taehyun knew it, Yeonjun was clapping his hands and announcing the start of the rehearsal.</p>
<p>            “Alright! Here we all are, we are, as of today, in a band together!” he said, voice raised and authoritative. Soobin stood next to him, smiling enthusiastically. Yeonjun continued to speak, and Taehyun became very aware of Beomgyu standing almost directly behind him, a little to the side. Hueningkai wasn’t standing that close, and Taehyun wasn’t really sure what was going on, but he wasn’t going to complain. Beomgyu was cute, and he was flirty, and Taehyun liked it. He refocused his attention back on Yeonjun. “We chose all of you because of your talent and your personalities, and I hope that we can all get along well and create some great music!” he cried out. Hueningkai and Beomgyu cheered and clapped, and Taehyun chuckled, joining in the clapping.</p>
<p>            He felt Beomgyu put his arm around his shoulders again, and when Taehyun looked over at him, the boy only smiled, wiggling his eyebrows before looking back at Yeonjun. Taehyun wondered if the boy just enjoyed physical contact, and that it didn’t necessarily mean he was special. “Our band name is Tomorrow by Together, and Soobin and I have already written a few songs, but we wanted to know if any of you have any experience with songwriting?” he asked, raising his brows. He and Soobin looked at the other three, and Taehyun glanced at Hueningkai and Beomgyu first. “Um…I have experiencing writing music b-but not lyrics,” Kai stuttered. Soobin smiled, going and writing it down. “That’s great, Hueningkai,” he complimented.</p>
<p>            Beomgyu shrugged, causing Taehyun to jostle just a bit. “I can’t even read music that well, I taught myself by ear,” he confessed. Taehyun swallowed, and quietly raised his hand. “I’ve written songs before,” he said, thinking of his song journal, nearly filled. Yeonjun grinned, nodding, while Soobin wrote some more stuff down. “Okay, perfect! Beomgyu and Kai can be in charge of the musicality, and Soobinie, Taehyun, and I will work on the lyricism,” he delegated. Taehyun nodded, sharing a smile with Soobin, before looking over at Beomgyu. The boy was smiling too and winked as he caught Taehyun’s eye. Taehyun blushed a little, but winked back, and then looked away.</p>
<p>            Soobin got up, going over to his drums as Yeonjun went to pick up his bass. “We asked all of you to learn your respective parts for the iconic song Bohemian Rhapsody, by the iconic band Queen,” he reminded. “It’s so we can see how well we work together when performing, and how well we can adapt to some ad-libbing,” Beomgyu pumped his fist, dropping his arm from Taehyun and going to grab his guitar. “This is going to be epic,” he said, putting the guitar strap around his shoulders. Taehyun moved to the microphone, suddenly feeling nervous again. Now, not only was he going to be the main focus, he was going to be performing in front of Hueningkai and Beomgyu for the first time. He was well-prepared, but he still wasn’t used to singing publicly. He took a deep breath as he lowered the mic stand a few inches.</p>
<p>            Kai accidentally hit some keys as he adjusted his own stand, and he went beet red (Taehyun could see it in the reflection from the mirrors across from them), and Soobin had to help relax him. Taehyun smiled empathetically, before Soobin returned to his drums. He nodded at Yeonjun, who nodded at Taehyun, who automatically turned to his left and nodded at Beomgyu. Beomgyu then nodded over at Kai, who returned the nod. They all looked back at Soobin, who lifted his hands in the air and counted them. <em>We didn’t even practice that</em>, Taehyun thought for a split second, before he took a deep breath and sang the first note.</p>
<p>            It was just him, and then just him and Kai for a few bars, and Taehyun had to admit, they worked well and sounded well together. Kai was an excellent player, and he kept up with Taehyun almost effortlessly. As Taehyun increased his volume, Kai increased his volume too. As the second verse started, Yeonjun’s tremulous hum filled the room, his bass adding an entire other layer to the song. Taehyun felt himself grow more comfortable too, having the musical support. As Soobin entered with the drums in a shrill crescendo, Taehyun hit his high notes easily, and put a lot of emotional into the very emotional song. The only who still wasn’t playing was Beomgyu, because his solo would come later.</p>
<p>            Until then, Taehyun kept singing, smiling widely as he heard his bandmates (bandmates!) playing so well behind him. They all worked together, feeding off of one another, and it was amazing. As they got closer to the guitar break, Taehyun turned, looking over at Beomgyu, who smiled beautifully and gave him a thumbs up. Taehyun smiled, turning back and finishing the last line before Beomgyu’s entrance. And when it came, it was spectacular. Taehyun ended his note, and then turned to look at Beomgyu. And he was mesmerising. His fingers flew across the guitar neck, and he moved with the music, face concentrated and gorgeous, and he was so talented Taehyun almost forgot to sing the next part.</p>
<p>            But he managed to, with Kai’s adorable little piano parts behind him. It was a bit different without the background vocals, but Taehyun was pretty sure they’d be able to add it in if they wanted to. If they were all this musically inclined, Taehyun thought they may be able to actually go somewhere one day.</p>
<p>            After the bridge and Taehyun’s ridiculous high note, he let himself start to dance. It was hard not to, as the music was growing in energy and volume, and Yeonjun and Beomgyu had already been jumping around for a while. Taehyun took the mic off the stand and started moving around, dancing and having fun too. With so many musical solos he let the boys have their moment, and he even walked over to Beomgyu, resting his elbow on his shoulder and moving along with him.</p>
<p>            When the musical break ended, Taehyun returned back to the centre of the room, and sang the last few lines, with just Kai playing the piano with him. All the members calmed down, to follow the energy of the song, and Taehyun could barely breathe. He was so shocked, sort of on an adrenaline high, and <em>holy fuck they were amazing. </em>They all stood there for a moment after the last notes faded, breathing heavily and staring at each other through the mirrors. And then Kai broke the silence, clapping his hands. “That was so fun!” he squealed. Everyone broke then, laughing and turning to face each other. “Soobin-hyung, you’re a devil on those drums,” Taehyun said, eyes wide.</p>
<p>            His heart was racing and his blood was pumping and he had never felt so happy and energised before. It appeared that everyone else felt the same way, too. “Taehyun, you should literally go on tour with a voice like that,” Hueningkai said, waving his hands around. Taehyun laughed, shaking his head, going and playfully shoving Kai. “What about you and your piano skills? Are you magic, Hyuka?” he asked. Kai blushed, and everyone started shouting compliments at each other until they were all laughing and falling onto the floor in their exhaustion.</p>
<p>            Taehyun found himself next to Beomgyu, both of them slumped against some spare amps. They share a giggly smile as Kai takes a few loud breaths, lying flat on the floor. Soobin and Yeonjun are propped against a stack of chairs, Yeonjun’s head resting on Soobin’s shoulder. They were holding hands, and Taehyun’s brows rose a bit as he connected the dots. But he only smiled, glad to know that he would be able to be himself fully once he warmed up completely. They made a cute couple, too, and Taehyun was happy for them.</p>
<p>            “Hey,” Beomgyu said, startling Taehyun a bit. The boy rested his hand on top of Taehyun’s, and his eyes looked serious. Taehyun’s heart fluttered as he looked back, trapped. “You have a beautiful voice,” he whispered. Taehyun’s eyes widened, and he blushed, looking away, pretending to cough. “You sounded fucking extraordinary on the guitar,” he replied. Beomgyu chuckled, and Taehyun felt his thumb swipe across his knuckles before he let go. “I’m excited to perform with you,” he said simply. Taehyun smiled, before nodding. “Likewise,” he replied.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>            And so, the next few months the band met up weekly, working on their skills and teamwork, and then learning the songs they would perform at the competition. Thankfully, not much teambuilding was needed, as they all got along so well Taehyun was starting to think it was pre-destined. They were flawless, going off of each other so well it was like they could read each other’s minds. If Taehyun wanted to add a run, or hold out a note, or a cut a not short, the others all adapted and adjusted. Same went for anyone else who wanted to ad-lib. They were like a well-oiled machine.</p>
<p>            As they kept rehearsing, Taehyun and Beomgyu became closer. The older seemed to gravitate towards Taehyun during his solos, and Taehyun found himself doing the same during his. After that, they started walking home together (they lived on the same route), and during those walks they talked about themselves and their dreams and aspirations. It was refreshing, meeting someone new, and Taehyun enjoyed getting to know Beomgyu. And as they got to know each other, the romantic tension only grew. Now, it wasn’t just Taehyun who got a little flustered, it was Beomgyu too. They were painfully obvious, to the point where Yeonjun had started teasing Taehyun for it, but neither of them had ever made a move.</p>
<p>            It was driving Taehyun a little crazy, only because he liked Beomgyu so much and he knew Beomgyu liked him back, and he didn’t want to waste any more time. And when rehearsals switched to daily the week before the competition, the two were around each other for basically 8 isolated hours a day. It was hard to hide their feelings then, when they had nowhere to escape to, and Taehyun almost kissed him at least three times, before chickening out. Those days were the real torture.</p>
<p>            But then it was competition time and that’s all any of them could think about and for a single night, Taehyun wasn’t pining over Beomgyu. He brought his all, and they smashed it, definitely being the most entertaining act of the night. They got a fucking standing ovation, for crying out loud. Taehyun was so happy and grateful, but he wasn’t that surprised, if he was being honest. They all had the charisma to succeed, and so this outcome wasn’t entirely unexpected. Regardless, he was still high off the adrenaline, and when they were announced as the winner, he couldn’t stop his cheers and screams.</p>
<p>            They all cheered and gasped and burst into sobs (Hueningkai), before huddling together in a hug. They all gripped each other’s shoulders and cried in each others ears and they were being so dramatic for it just being high school competition, but it was because they knew. They knew that they were going to go big places if they kept this up. When they separated and accepted their trophy, they gave a watery speech, before being rushed off the stage.</p>
<p>            They burst into the backstage hallway, before busting into laughter, holding onto each other for support. “Holy shit, you guys are the fucking best people ever,” Yeonjun said, clinging to Soobin, who wiped his cheeks, laughing breathlessly and kissing Yeonjun’s forehead. Taehyun shook his head, sweaty but not caring. “No, you are, thank you so fucking much for this,” he said, unable to contain his own tears. Soobin ‘awwed’, before they were all shuffling forward and hugging again.</p>
<p>            After that, Kai toddled off to call his mom, and Soobin and Yeonjun turned into each other, sharing soft words. Taehyun turned away politely then, and his gaze landed on Beomgyu. The boy was already smiling (he was always already smiling when Taehyun looked at him), and he reached out for Taehyun’s hand. Taehyun swallowed as he let Beomgyu pull him a few feet away. When they stopped, Beomgyu didn’t drop Taehyun’s hand, and instead took a step closer. Taehyun had to lift his chin to keep their gazes locked. “You sounded beautiful up there,” he said quietly.</p>
<p>            Taehyun blushed, but didn’t look away. “So did you,” he replied. Beomgyu giggled a little, shaking his head, before he lifted his other hand to cup Taehyun’s cheek. Taehyun’s heart took off, and he had to swallow down a whimper. “<em>You’re </em>beautiful,” he whispered. Taehyun’s eyes widened, and before he could lean forward, Beomgyu’s lips were pressed against his own. He froze for a second, before melting, lifting his hand to bury it in Beomgyu’s hair, pulling him closer. He kissed back, and their lips danced, moving in sync, just like Taehyun expected. Beomgyu held him gently but firmly, Taehyun couldn’t move if he tried. Beomgyu kissed as if making up for lost time, and Taehyun was just as desperate. They only parted when they ran out of air, and Taehyun looked at Beomgyu, breathing fast.</p>
<p>            The older boy looked back at him, before smiling, laughing a bit. Taehyun hesitated, before giggling a bit. Beomgyu slipped his arms around Taehyun and hugged him. Taehyun had to rest his head on Beomgyu’s shoulder to get as close as possible, but he liked it. He hugged back, and he felt Beomgyu’s cheek rest on his head. “You’re going to be famous one day, Taehyunnie,” the boy whispered. Taehyun blushed, before squeezing Beomgyu tighter, nuzzling his neck a bit. “No, <em>we’re </em>gonna be famous one day,” he corrected. He felt Beomgyu laugh, before holding him tighter.</p>
<p>            “As long as we’re together,” he breathed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Bonus: Prequel</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>AKA: The Yeonbin prequel.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Soobin looked at the list of auditions, running his finger over the names. It was a lot more than he expected, if he was being honest, but he was excited. He was glad that people seemed to enjoy the idea of a “battle of the bands” type of competitive club. The competition to build and create the best bands was already in full swing, and two bands had already been formed and finalised. It was a difficult process. A band could accept someone but that person could choose to join another band, if they had multiple to choose from.</p><p>            Soobin was not a ‘wooer’ and he didn’t exactly know how to charm someone into joining his band. Sure, he thought that he was one of the best drummers in the school and Yeonjun was by far the best bassist, but they together couldn’t do much. They needed a lead vocalist, a main guitarist, and if they were lucky, somebody who knew keys. Thankfully, while Soobin was the brains and logic of the prospective band, Yeonjun was the charmer. He convinced Soobin after all, and he had literally nothing to go off of except his hunch.</p><p>            When they posted the open audition notice, Soobin really hadn’t expected so many people to sign up. Of course, the majority of them were auditioning for the lead singer role, but a surprising amount of people signed up under the other categories as well. Soobin didn’t recognise any of their names, and assumed that they must be in grades lower than him. He supposed that could be nice. Having a band full of just seniors seemed like a recipe for disaster. He and Yeonjun got along well, but that’s also because they were like, a thing. Or whatever. Soobin wasn’t really sure, and he was too shy to really ask. They just flirted a lot, and sometimes kissed.</p><p>            It wasn’t important. What was important was the auditions, and they were about to start. He sat the sheet of paper down and pulled out his notebook. Yeonjun slid into the seat next to him, clapping him on the shoulder. “Ready?” he asked excitedly. Soobin smiled, nodding. The door to the band room was slightly ajar, where the applicants were lined up outside, waiting their turn. Soobin took a deep breath, cleared his throat, and called the first name.</p><p>            A tall, slender boy with bright blonde hair and big eyes walked in first. He was holding a sheet of paper, the information sheet Soobin had drawn up to save him and Yeonjun some stress. He bowed nervously, walking up to the table to hand Soobin the paper. “Hello, my name is Kang Taehyun, and I’d like to try out for the lead vocalist role,” he said, voice slightly shaky but not the most nervous Soobin’s ever heard. He offered the boy a comforting smile, nodding and accepting his paper. “You have two minutes to perform whatever you’d like,” he informed. The boy, Taehyun, nodded as he returned to stand a few meters away from the table.</p><p>            Soobin sat the paper between him and Yeonjun, the older boy giving Taehyun a few thumbs up. “Break a leg!” he cried. Soobin giggled, and Taehyun gave a weak smile in return, before taking a deep breath. Soobin sat up straighter, intrigued and hoping that the boy didn’t sound awful. They weren’t make decisions that very second, but he was still going to feel bad cutting people. Yeonjun would help him make the difficult decisions.</p><p>            He was pulled out of his thoughts as Taehyun started singing, something soft and pretty, Soobin didn’t recognise it. But Taehyun’s voice was <em>gorgeous</em>. It was clear, he hit his notes perfectly without going sharp or flat, and he had excellent breath control. Soobin only knew these terms from Yeonjun (the boy was in choir), but he didn’t need to be classically trained to recognise a beautiful voice when he heard it. He shared a wide-eyed glance with Yeonjun, before the older smiled and immediately jotted down some notes. Soobin went back to watch Taehyun’s face, making sure he had a good expression, too. He didn’t want their lead singer to sound pretty but look bored the whole time.</p><p>            Taehyun looked anything but bored. His face conveyed the emotion of the song—which was painful heartbreak—and it kind of made Soobin want to cry as he watch him. The boy was lifted on his toes, and Soobin wondered if he was a dancer. He certainly held himself like one. And when he hit his high note, Soobin’s jaw actually dropped. Unless someone managed to top Taehyun, they had found their lead vocalist. And the very first audition, too.</p><p>            Taehyun finished then, letting the note fade out, before dropping back to his normal height and taking a big breath. Soobin and Yeonjun burst into applause, standing up even. “That was fucking amazing, Taehyun-ah, wow,” Yeonjun said, eyes wide in disbelief. Taehyun blushed, bowing a few times. “Thank you,” he replied shyly. Soobin smiled, sitting back down. “We’ll contact you if you’re chosen, thank you so much for auditioning!” he said. Taehyun smiled, before bowing one last time and then leaving. As soon as he was out of sight Soobin turned to Yeonjun, who gripped his arm. “It has to be him, I don’t want anyone else,” the older said. Soobin giggled, nodding, taking Taehyun’s information sheet and carefully tucking it into his folder. “I agree,” he responded.</p><p>            Yeonjun let go of his arm, and then sighed, draping himself over the table. “How are we supposed to sit through all of the other vocal auditions? Nobody will be as good as him,” he pouted, face squished. Soobin chuckled, ruffling his hair before pulling him up. “We have to be fair, come on,” he reminded. Yeonjun sighed, before nodding and calling in the next applicant.</p><p>            And that’s how it went, for the entire day. They listened to so many vocalists, but none of them compared to Taehyun. Most were just average, some were pretty good but lacked that performance capability, and some were just bad. Soobin had to hit Yeonjun’s arm multiple times so he’d stop laughing at the bad ones. After vocal auditions were done, they got a nice break listening to the guitarists. There were far fewer of them, and all of them at least had some skills.</p><p>            It was more Yeonjun’s area of expertise, so he took lead, while Soobin just offered his objective opinion. None of them stood out for a while, and Soobin was afraid they’d never find one, until they finally got one that looked very promising. The kid’s name was Beomgyu, and he walked in with a head of dark hair and a big smile. “Hi!” he said brightly, tossing Yeonjun his information sheet and then slinging his guitar over his shoulder, looking at the amps the school had provided. “Aw man, I was hoping you guys had a ’65 Fender, but I guess it probably doesn’t fit into the budget,” he remarked, looking at the amp as he plugged his guitar in.</p><p>            Soobin raised his brows, and Yeonjun instantly perked up. “Finally!” he exclaimed. “Somebody who speaks my language,” The student, Beomgyu, turned around, before laughing. “I want to be a sound engineer when I grow up, I know way too much about different sound systems,” he explained. Soobin’s eyes widened, he was impressed. It would be super beneficial to have someone who understood the tech side of things in their band. Beomgyu adjusted his shoulder strap before looking at the couple expectantly.</p><p>            Yeonjun started, clearing his throat and leaning forward, gesturing with one hand. “Whenever you’re ready,” he prompted. Beomgyu smiled, winking at him, before suddenly the room was filled with the sound of a ridiculously good electric guitar player. Soobin was awestruck as he watched Beomgyu’s fingers fly up and down the strings, doing some of the fastest musical phrases Soobin had heard in a long time. Beomgyu’s face was a mixture of concentration and amusement, like he was focused but also enjoying himself. It was an addicting energy he was emitting, and Soobin found himself leaning forward too.</p><p>            “He’s amazing,” Yeonjun whispered, and Soobin nodded, not even able to take notes. They both watched, hypnotised, and when Beomgyu finished, they even forgot to clap. Beomgyu, out of breath, raised his brows as he looked at them. “Well? Am I in the band?” he asked, forgoing the formal process. Soobin blinked, before breaking out of his hypnosis, and he swallowed, looking at Yeonjun. The pink-haired boy didn’t look at him, only shot out of his seat and went to go shake Beomgyu’s hand. “Fuck yeah, you’re in the band,” he said.</p><p>            Soobin’s eyes widened. That wasn’t exactly protocol, but it’s not like he was going to argue. He agreed with Yeonjun, Beomgyu had to be a part of the band. And watching him and Yeonjun interact, it really was a no-brainer. Yeonjun seemed to realise his presumptuousness though, and he quickly turned to Soobin, eyes wide. “Shit, I’m sorry,” he blurted out. He dropped Beomgyu’s hand and took a few steps back, bowing. “I mean, we’ll call you if we decide-,” he started to say, but Soobin cut him off with a giggle, getting up too. He rounded the table and went up to Beomgyu, who looked at him, confidently excited. “We don’t normally choose on the spot, but hyung’s right, you’re definitely in the band,” he reassured.</p><p>            Beomgyu’s face broke into a grin, and he looked at both Soobin and Yeonjun, nodding. “Wicked, this is going to be awesome,” he replied. Soobin giggled as Yeonjun stood next to him, patting Beomgyu on the shoulder. He looped his other arm around Soobin’s waist, which made Soobin blush, but Beomgyu either didn’t notice or didn’t care. “Just, don’t tell anyone we didn’t go through the right process,” Yeonjun said, chuckling. Beomgyu laughed loudly, taking his guitar off and unplugging it. He carefully put it in his case, tying up all of his cords. “No worries, my lips are sealed,”.</p><p>            After promising to call him, Beomgyu left with a wave, and Soobin and Yeonjun stood there for a second, giggling. “He’s so fun,” Soobin said, covering his smile. Yeonjun hummed, turning and locking his other arm around Soobin’s waist, pressing their chests together. “Think he’ll be a good team player?” he asked. Yeonjun nodded, and Soobin didn’t miss the way his eyes dropped to his lips. He felt his cheeks heat up, and he glanced at the door without really thinking about it. Yeonjun saw though and squeezed Soobin. “Baby,” he whispered. Soobin blushed harder, looking at Yeonjun. The older smiled softly, swaying them both a little. “Nobody is judging us for being two guys, they’re just jealous I have you all to myself,” he flirted.</p><p>            Soobin exhaled loudly, looking away and trying not to get too flustered. “Hyung, please,” he managed to say. Yeonjun giggled, kissing Soobin’s cheek and then releasing him. “Let’s get back to work,” he simply said. Soobin nodded, smoothing his shirt and sitting back down. He could see Yeonjun smiling at him from his peripheral vision, but he ignored it. He needed to focus. Be a professional.</p><p>            They went through the rest of the guitarists, none of whom had nearly the impact as Beomgyu, and then they moved on to the singular keyboardist who had applied. He was a freshman, and when he walked in carrying his keyboard, he nearly knocking over the stand. His face went bright red and he stuttered out an apology, smiling awkwardly. “Sorry! This thing is just so huge,” he rushed, managing to set it carefully on the stand. He was tall, but awkward about it as if he wasn’t used to it yet, and his hair was long and messy. But he had a boyish charm that made Soobin smile, and he at least knew what he was doing as he hooked everything up.</p><p>            He made sure everything was working, before his eyes suddenly widened in horror. “I forgot my information sheet! Oh my God, I’m so sorry, I can go get it!” he shrieked. Soobin’s eyes widened and he stood up, shaking his head. “It’s okay! We can just write down your name and number, it’s alright,” he reassured. The boy blinked a few times, before nodding and bowing deeply. Yeonjun chuckled a bit, and Soobin hit his shoulder to shut him up. The boy pushed his hair out of his eyes, folding his hands in front him. “My name is Hueningkai,” he said with a bow. Soobin smiled, nodding assent.</p><p>            Yeonjun scooted his chair forward, before gesturing for Hueningkai to start when he was ready. The boy smiled, wiping his hands on his jeans and taking a deep breath. Being completely honest, Soobin didn’t have that high of expectations, but he was still intrigued. The boy set his hands, and then started to play.</p><p>            And it was safe to say that Soobin was shocked, just like he was with Taehyun and Beomgyu. Because Kai must have been a prodigy. His fingers flew over the keys so gracefully it seemed like magic. He played so well, the notes pleasing to the ear and growing in volume as he built the phrases. His face was concentrated, but still pleasant, and Soobin found himself smiling and tapping his foot to the beat. Whether the boy was classically trained or not, he appeared to be having fun, and he certainly knew the instrument well.</p><p>            Soobin looked at Yeonjun, who looked so excited it was almost comical. He barely held back his cheers as the boy finished with a flourish, smiling widely. Soobin clapped too, and Kai bowed again. “That was perfect, Huening-ah,” Soobin said, tearing a piece of paper out of his notebook and scribbling Kai’s name on it. “I’m going to need you to write down your number,” he said. Hueningkai’s eyes popped and his jaw dropped a little, before he squealed, running up and bowing multiple times.</p><p>            Yeonjun laughed, patting Kai’s shoulder. “Welcome to the band, kid,” he said. Kai wrote down his number, before jumping up and down, clapping again. “Thank you so much, this is going to be so much fun!” he said happily. Soobin giggled, already feeling a brotherly connection with the younger. They bid their farewells after Kai packed up his keyboard, and when he was gone, Yeonjun went and shut the door.</p><p>            Soobin took a deep breath, rubbing his eyes and slouching in his chair. “I’m exhausted,” he complained. Yeonjun chuckled, before he pushed Soobin’s chair out with him still in it. Soobin blushed, looking up as Yeonjun smiled down at him. He blushed even harder when the boy shuffled forward and swung his legs over Soobin’s, settling in his lap. Soobin’s hands went to his thighs as he locked his arms around his neck, still smiling at him. “We need to call Kang Taehyun, let him know he’s gonna be our singer,” he murmured. Soobin nodded, doing his best to keep his eyes trained on Yeonjun’s face.</p><p>            “I think we may have a shot at winning it all,” he whispered. Yeonjun’s eyes glittered as he smiled more and nodded, fingers pulling at Soobin’s hair lightly. “Let’s just hope everyone gets along and works well as a team,” he replied. Soobin nodded, sliding his hands to lock around Yeonjun’s waist. “We work well together,” he replied quietly. Yeonjun giggled, looking so beautiful as his eyes and nose scrunched up. Soobin could only stare, a little mesmerised. The songs he was going to write about that boy, they were going to be nearly as perfect as him. “Of course we do, baby,” he said.</p><p>            He leaned in then, and Soobin met him the middle, connecting their lips in a gentle kiss. They were still at school, and the door wasn’t locked, so they didn’t risk anything more than a few presses, chaste but still satisfying. When Yeonjun had gotten his fill, he climbed off of Soobin’s lap and started gathering up their papers. He found Taehyun’s, and Soobin pulled out his phone to call him. He winked at Yeonjun, before stepping away as his phone rang. A few seconds later, the line picked up, and he heard Taehyun utter a tentative hello.</p><p>            He couldn’t keep the smile off of his face as he spoke. “Kang Taehyun? This is Soobin, and I would like to formally let you know that Yeonjun-hyung and I would love to have you be a part of our band, as lead vocalist,” he said. He felt hands on his waist then, and he twisted to look at Yeonjun, switching his phone to his other ear so he could listen too. They both heard Taehyun gasp, before answering excitedly. “Oh my God, seriously? I-I would love to, wow, thank you so much!” he exclaimed adorably. Yeonjun stifled his giggles and Soobin just couldn’t stop smiling. “Perfect! I’ll text you the date and location of our first practice, okay? Just bring you and your voice!” he said.</p><p>            Taehyun promised he would, and after saying goodbye, Soobin hung up. Yeonjun squealed right in his ear, throwing himself around Soobin in a messy hug. “I’m so excited! We’re going to be superstars!” he shouted. Soobin laughed, hugging Yeonjun back tightly. He couldn’t wait for their first practice.</p>
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